I am up way earlier than usual this morning because I am going to the hospital.

Again.

I am going to a pain management clinic, mostly because my pain is becoming unmanageable.

Today we are going after one of my constant companions, lower back pain.

Many things cause lower back pain. In my case, it's something on the order of 16 years of climbing up and down (or jumping up or down) Tanks and other Armored Vehicles, and when I'm not bouncing around in those same vehicles, walking all over this big blue marble with my 100+ pounds of "super lightweight" gear.

Then again, it's far more likely to have been exacerbated by going ass over teakettle (at whatever speed the explosives launched me) off of a bridge and into a canal, while wearing body armor (which stops, coincidentally, at the lower back) and landing on my head. Back's been generally bothersome since then.

By generally bothersome, I mean that on a good day my back hurts. On a bad day, I can barely walk without a cane. On a really bad day, I can't get out of bed without crying out.

So today a doctor is going to dope me up, stick a needle in my spine, and fill it with all kinds of modern chemistry. It should help, assuming the pain is caused by muscular injury. Less likely to be effective if the injury is to nerves or discs. Then it could be as fun as another needle, followed by a cauterizing wire to fry the nerve endings. Fun as that sounds, we'll take the epidural and hope for the best today.

Either way, I don't think this counts as surgery.

--Chuck

Today was a Good day. Alerted that the denizens of the castle may be under observation, and possibly assault, saw that a demonstration, or possibly a show of force may be needed. I issued a quick Warning Order to the Family Squad, then departed the AO to secure Class V from Cabelas and Class VI from the Class VI store. (No GO #1 at the castle, you see.)
By the time I'd returned, the boss had finished some PT to get her adrenaline up, and the kids were all aflutter. I loaded the weapons into the truck, then das dummer Hund, the boss, the dismounts, all the errata that goes with them, and we were off to the castle.

We started with the tour of the realm, then the showing off of really cool stuff, (which was mostly me and the Armorer, and the Dismounts and The Boss doing their Cavalry Re-certification. I too was re-certified, while das dummer Hund tried to get either stepped on or kicked in the head by the horse.

After the showing of cool things, I was given a grand tour of the Armory, (I am in total awe) and then we moved to the ramparts to conduct a show of force. First, the dismounts practiced their sidearm drills, then the boss showed us all how it was possible to shoot right handed, but use the left eye to aim. The dismounts then demonstrated their sniper techniques.
The Armorer then demonstrated his knowledge of obscura mechanica, firing a weapon that I am sure Saladin himself once used. I then used my mad skilz with the bammy shooty (for you marines who may be using this) and demonstrated to any would-be spies my ability to sling lead and dispense with soul-cleansing flames of 7.62 x 39 wrath and scunion.

The Castle remains free.

Note:* If anyone thinks that my children are too young to do these things, tough. They are my kids. I get to decide that, not you. Just because your slack-jawed mouthbreather can't muster enough sense or attention span to pay attention and learn how to exercise their specific, enumerated right, doesn't mean that my children cannot learn to do so. If you think you can provide a rational, reasoned argument why I should not encourage and teach my children to safely handle firearms, please, by all means, do so. First, explain it to my dog:

Yes that is a pancake on his head. It makes as much sense as you do.

--Chuck

Labels: Family, Fun, Individual rights, Spew alert

Soldiers' Angels is not involved with anyone selling magazines door-to-door, nor have we been in contact with a door-to-door magazine seller who has said they are donating a percentage of their sales to Soldiers' Angels. Individual companies may plan to donate to Soldiers' Angels, but unless they have made formal arrangements with us to do so, we cannot endorse their fundraising activities.

In general, if a company is working with Soldiers' Angels, information on their project will be found on this site. Just click "Search" on the left side of this page here and enter the name of the company or project to see if they are legit. If you ever have questions about a company, you can ask them for the name of their Soldiers' Angels contact or email angels@soldiersangels.org (sometimes local or small companies will make arrangements that don't appear on the website).

The statement above is posted in response to the following email Soldiers' Angels recently received:

I am writing to you to see if a door-to-door mail scam that promised to donate 1/2 their proceeds to the Soldier's Angels organization is really doing that.

Here's what happened: a young girl said she was going to college and works for the Fit for Life, Inc. She said for $48 a magazine, they would donate $24 to purchasing and sending a magazine to a troop through Soldiers' Angels. She then said the remainder would go to her college tuition and books, etc, directly through the school. She could not verify a 501(c)(3) standing, and when pushed said their costs were covered by a $15.00 processing fee.

We turned her away and said come back with a 501(c)(3) letter...When I did an Internet search, the only relevant item I noted about Fit for Fife, Inc. was that it was listed in door-to-door scams and magazine scams notices.

Labels: fraud waste and abuse

see more Political Pictures

Soldiers’ Angels is CFC #25131 in the Combined Federal Campaign.

The mission of the Combined Federal Campaign is to promote and support philanthropy through a program that is employee focused, cost-efficient, and effective in providing all federal employees the opportunity to improve the quality of life for all.

CFC is the world's largest and most successful annual workplace charity campaign, with more than 300 CFC campaigns throughout the country and internationally to help to raise millions of dollars each year. Pledges made by Federal civilian, postal and military donors during the campaign season (September 1st to December 15th) support eligible non-profit organizations that provide health and human service benefits throughout the world.

Labels: Project Valour-IT, Soldier's Angels

Mr. Completely just found out what PARA is donating to the GBR-IV raffle.

He says it best: WOW.

And all proceeds go to Valour-IT.

--Chuck

Labels: Fun, Project Valour-IT, Soldier's Angels, Support the troops and their mission

"He has no personal effects. The only things that came with him from downrange[to Germany] were an envelope with a couple of [military challenge] coins and his Soldiers' Angels backpack."

That, in and of itself is a powerful statement.

About 10 last night, a friend of mine from college called to tell my Mrs. her husband (also another friend from college) was wounded in Iraq. His leg was badly injured, and he was in Germany, but would be transported to WRAMC soon.

The Mrs., who has walked many miles in those shoes.

Then I did something that I absolutely hate having to do: I shot a red-star cluster (a flare we use in the army that shoots a rocket up to about 250 feet and then shoots a shower of bright red sparks. In training, it is used to alert everyone on the battlefield that a serious real-world injury has happened, and mark the location for pickup.

In war, it is used to tell the helicopter where to land to pick up the casualties.

My figurative red star was fired out into the community of milbloggers and more importantly, Soldier's Angels. Between the time I found out (actually before) a Soldier's Angel in Germany was present, holding his hand, making sure he was comforted and taken care of, contacting his spouse, who was back in the states trying to wrangle arrangements for their two kids. (Sound familiar so far?) and the time I woke up this morning, SA-stateside had energized their wounded team, making sure that he (and the other critically wounded patients flying in today) would have someone waiting on them.

They'd contacted his spouse again, making sure that anything she needed was also getting taken care of. Did she need someone to watch the kids? The dog? Did she need someone to run errands so she could take a nap? Was there anything at all she needed? Not to mention getting her information--gleaned from thousands of patients and families Soldiers Angels has cared for--to help her ask and answer the questions she had yet to think of. Other Angels were securing a beach head for her--making sure she was taken care of logistically at Walter Reed. Everything they could possibly do to pave the way, allow her to focus on her soldier, is being taken care of. (How many of you know there is a dunkin' donuts and a subway in the lobby at WRAMC, or would even think that she might want some gift cards for them?) SA already purchased them!

As a leader, one of the scariest places to be is when you don't know what it is that you don't know. You can't be sure if you've planned for the most likely possibilities if the battlefield is too uncertain, or if you are entering an area that you never dreamed you'd be entering. You are planning in a vacuum of information, on unfamiliar terrain, and have no idea what you need to do to make progress. Soldiers Anglels tries to fill that information void--to help those spouses figure out what they need to do, to prioritize what needs to be done, to provide that much-needed information and prioritization to a spouse who is on an emotional precipice. Moreover, they make sure that no soldier goes unloved--whether it's holding hands in the ICU in Germany, or in Walter Reed, or Brooke Amy Medical Center, or Bethesda, or Balboa, or anywhere a wounded soldier finds himself.

It's so much more than holding hands, though. They are there helping soldiers and their families recover and cope. They are making sure that not only are their needs met, but that they are cared for, emotionally, physically, and mentally. They show that those of us who are keeping the homefire burning are also standing ready to help when a soldier returns home, broken and battered, but not out.

And it started with a backpack, a small bag continaing the items a wounded soldier would need most. You don't really "arrive" in Germany, as much as you are born there: naked, bleeding, in pain, unsure of your surroundings, not knowing anyone and wondering what in the hell just happened.

If you've not joined soldiers angels yet, please do so. There are many ways you can help, either through time, monetarily, visiting, writing a letter, or adopting one of over a thousand soldiers who have asked

• Donate a backpack
  
• Donate items for a backpack
• Make a Blanket of Hope

Make the "cars for clunkers" pretty irrelevant, huh? (but does make the VA "wanna die yet" checklist even more important.)

--Chuck

Labels: Damn, Project Valour-IT, SITREP, Soldier's Angels, Support the troops and their mission, surgery, Walter Reed, wounded troops

I am trying very, very hard to get to the gun blog rendezvous this year. The biggest hurdle is the Army (right now) giving me the time off to do it. It means I have to add work on an already heavy workload ahead of time, AND keep up with my work while I go, but it's worth it.

I went two years ago, when they selected Valour-IT as their charity to raise money for that year. Since then, they've added Valour-IT as their permanent charity.

Like I said, I'm trying really hard to get there. There's a donate button over there on the left side of the page (it's the big yellow one that says "Donate") that will help me pay for the trip, which is gonna run about $800 for air+hotel. The best part? Any donations going there go thru paypal, which in turn is going to result in my writing about guns, shooting guns, encouraging other people to buy, shoot, and carry guns.

I am going to be addressing the gathered bloggers, journalists, groupies and sponsors about several things, primarily Soldier'sAngels and Valour-it, as well as Why I serve, and how they can continue to help.


As many of you have read here, this year they are selling raffle tix for a gun, ( a very, very nice gun) a training session at frontsight, and well,

a Para USA GI Expert that you need not be present to win! In that same drawing, you can win a certificate for four days of training at Front Sight in Nevada. Valued at $2,000, you can use it for one four-day class or two two-day classes.

IF YOU ATTEND you can purchase raffle tickets that might win you another Para pistol, or a Hi Point 9mm Carbine. Or you might win a framed Heller Kitty t-shirt autographed by Alan Gura! Other sponsors include (but are not limited to):

Steel Challenge Shooting Association

National Shooting Sports Foundation

Brownell's

GLOCK

Dillon Precision

Lucky Gunner Ammo

Natchez Shooter's Supply

Midway USA

Remington

Nosler Bullets
Remember, Paypal is asshats, but : luckygunner is now handling the online auction tix sales.

And please, hit that donate button.

--Chuck

Labels: Individual rights, Project Valour-IT, SITREP, Soldier's Angels, Support the troops and their mission, wounded troops

I can't say that I had nothing to do with this, because in a way, I did. I didn't donate any DNA or anything, and my Mrs. didn't either.

Our very good friend, Milblogger and and Soldiers Angel Sarah is with child. Her husband is currently in the 'stan, doing sooper seekrit squirrel stuff and she's at home doing long cellular division. This is their fourth try, and the only one that has made it this far (she's got weird genes. Like an X-men mutant, but without the cool costume.)

Go over to her site and wish her well.

Or so help me...

--Chuck

Labels: Family, Soldier's Angels

It seems the whizzle hizzle is sick and tired of stuttering bob, their press secretary minister of information.

I think they were expecting his appearance as a jovial fat guy like Fatty Arbuckle (below)


to appease the idiot masses, but just like Fatty, a few misteps and all of the sudden your jokes and stutters and um's and uh's are falling flat. You aren't charming any more. And worse, in the cult of personality that is currently running the Kremlin on the Potomac, being not-popular makes you a liability. There are plenty of people in the current administration unpleasantness who are unable to string together a coherent sentence...


Still, something needed to be done to bring an air of transparency back into the press briefing room. So the powers that be decided there would be a bloodletting of sorts, they had to cut off the offending hand in order to save the rest of the body. They needed someone in that briefing room that could explain things to the press in the terms they would understand, free of nuances but with flowery prose that would alleviate their need to either research or even edit. Someone that they could take at face value.

Someone that when they spoke, everyone would know exactly what was the truth:

By Elizabeth Newberry on August 11th, 2009

Paypal is still asshats, but there's always a workaround!

Hi Chuck,

I saw your post here about the PayPal debacle with Soldiers' Angels: http://tcoverride.blogspot.com/2009/07/paypal-is-asshats.html

Anyhow, wanted to update you on the eventual outcome of that little stunt by PayPal because it has a happy ending that's actually associated with my company, Lucky Gunner Ammo, which is kinda cool. Here's why.

I read Kevin's blog post about PayPal shutting down the auction and it really pissed me off, similar to your feelings if your post is any indication. Well, I work with Lucky Gunner Ammo and we had the existing infrastructure i.e. credit card processing and online order handling - to take over the online portion of the auction and handle the ticket sales for Soldiers' Angels online. So I emailed Kevin and Mike, the guy behind the Gun Blogger's Rendezvous, and we got a new auction page setup, sans PayPal: http://www.luckygunner.com/project-valour-raffle-fundraiser-2009

Anyhow, we threw that page together and got it up about 2 weeks ago and have raised over $1,100 since. Pretty positive stuff, huh?

Now we've got about 3 weeks left til the auction actually closes and we're in the home stretch of the fund raising effort. That's why I wanted to reach out to you.

See, the only way people will know about the raffle being back online is if the blog community spreads the word like they did when PayPal shut down the raffle. That's why I wanted to see if you'd update your post and include the new URL where people can get the tickets.

What do you think...Can you update that post of yours and include a mention of the new online raffle location at Lucky Gunner Ammo? I'm sure your readers would appreciate it and I know Soldiers' Angels loves every ticket that we sell.

Thanks in advance,

Brian Crane
LuckyGunner.com

I've had several commentators ask me when the military is going to march into Washington and "throw the bums out." When is the military going to overthrow this oppressive gummint, and water that tree of liberty.

I'll tell you when, and I'll tell you why:

Never. Never Ever.

The US Military isn't in the business of overthrowing our government. It simply isn't what we do.

Of course, we are also not used to quell rebellion, either. We are here to uphold and defend the constitution, against all enemies, foreign and domestic, and to bear true faith and allegiance to the same.

What this means, good people, is that if a time comes where Americans choose to take up arms against their government, because their government is becoming (or is) a tyranny that no longer serves the people, then it is up to you to throw off your chains. We won't do it for you, and you shouldn't expect us to, because that shows that you don't want freedom, just a change in masters.

The same laws that protect you from us (posse commitatus) also prevent us from attacking the legislature, executive, or judicial branch. Them folks (with a notable exception) are all Americans. Just like you. We don't attack Americans.

Would the military stand idly by while an open revolt was going on in the streets of Washington? I suppose that depends on what the "revolutionaries" were espousing. If it was a return to founder's principles, then I don't suppose we'd mix it up. If it wanted to scrap the constitution and start over, then maybe you'd see me defending the national archives, or the government legally in place according to the constitution. Semantics, to some, but would you want us to stand idly by while the Scientologists behead the government officials to establish L. Ron Hubbard's ashes as the supreme leader?

The thing is, if a revolution did enter d.c. and managed to put chlorine in the political gene pool, Nothing would change if the gummint was left intact. The same retards that hopeychanged us into the current unpleasantness would soon put us into the same situation with the next personality cult to come down the street. The only benefit would be for a short while, while people considered if they really wanted to be a politician. Unfortunately, the draw of money, fame, and power is too strong to keep those with nefarious purposes out for long.



Maybe the founders (who never envisioned a standing Army anyway) believed that when the government became too big for its britches, the populace would purge them at the barrel of a gun. Maybe that was the original check and balance. Maybe that was the reason for the 2nd amendment.

So if you think the military should overthrow our government, you are squarely in the "We should go over there and do something..." crowd. The crowd that by "We" really means "Me." We should do something as long as You don't risk a damned thing. If you think the gov't needs to go, vote them out. Convince others to do likewise. Build a true grassroots (a term I loathe, because it refers to everyday people being lower than dirt) effort to get people out to vote. Campaign for your candidate, foster change. Challenge candidates honestly and openly, without just repeating the talking points you heard on the radio. Read bills and take your currently elected reps to task when they vote for a bill that is contrary to your beliefs. Do you damnedest to help people learn what their reps are doing--without the spin that campaigns put on.

And if time comes to take up arms against your government, be prepared to do so. Because when that time comes, you likely won't be "allowed" to buy a gun any more.


--Chuck

No matter how bad your day was, no matter how many stupid mistakes you may have made, there is no way it was as bad as the night this guy had last weekend:



I disagree with the reporter's statement that he's unlucky because that would imply he would have been lucky if he'd gotten away with it. No, he'd be lucky if he had enough brain cells to rub together to realize that robbing a bar is just. plain. stupid.

It is pretty funny though that the cops got him to the ground without having to set down their beers.

Bonus: mug shot?

~~Code Monkey

I read at HotAir that if you RSVP to go to a Townhall through OrganizingforAmerica.com (at least in some states) they are kind enough to send you PDF's of posters to print and bring along. God knows, someone has to drown out all those nazi health care hatin' thugs.

This is theirs:

And here's my response:

Don't worry, you don't have to flag me. I'm sure my mom has already... twice.

More astroturfed, manufactured outrage after the jump.





















~~Code Monkey

The Gun Blogger's Rendezvous raffle got some new help!

From Kevin Baker in the comments:

We've managed to bypass PayPal!

Another sponsor of the Rendezvous, Luckygunner.com, an ammo site, is selling the raffle tickets for us with all proceeds (minus the 3% credit card fee) going to Soldiers' Angels! Soldiers' Angels is still taking phone orders for those who don't want to do it on-line. Details here.

For those of you new to the story, go here.

I have a few friends who have asked me to help get the word out about some things. So, I thought what better way than posting here to all of you faithful readers who still manage to find what Chuck has to say interesting. Okay, that's not nice of me to say about my husband... he is quite interesting ;)

Anywho, please take a few moments to read this post and then decide whether you want to help me get the word out. I would really appreciate it, as would my friends!

1. A mil-spouse friend writes a column called "The Paycheck Chronicles" for Military.com in their finance section. She gives smart, witty, practical, insightful, funny, etc. advice about the many challenges we Americans face in this trying economical time. Maybe you don't need or want the financial advice, but someone you know may benefit from the site. So please, share the link with all your friends!

2. Like classic rock and/or blues? Well, I have a band for you to check out! My dear friend and co-worker from PA (and I do miss her so) is "married to a rock star." Well, she always joked about being married to a rock star... Her husband is in a band called "Four Day Crawl" with his brother and some buddies. They recently produced a CD called "Overdue" and I LOVE it!!! You can listen to their music on MySpace or CD Baby.
Again, please help me help a friend spread the word about Four Day Crawl. They really are an awesome band and I think you will enjoy the music!

3. Last, but not least, I have another mil-spouse friend who started a company called "Military Matters." The month of August is the Grand Opening and you get 20% off any orders you place this month! So what is Military Matters? Well, click on the link and check out the website (and don't forget to order), but you can also read the blurb below, direct from the site's home page.

"Military Matters offers personalized military-themed jewelry and unique novelty items aimed at military spouses and military families. We strive to match the intense pride that comes with being a member of the military community with high-quality, fashionable items that proudly showcase that pride. All of our products are focus-group tested by military spouses and military mothers so that we can be sure the products we offer are items that you will want to purchase, and will enjoy for years to come."

Thanks for helping spread the word for my friends!!! And thanks for continuing to humor my husband by reading his blog.... ;)

Until next time...
Carren/The Mrs./Chuck's Better Half

Here’s an idea:

Send the white house the entire text of the Health”Care” Bill:

Go to the “XML” version:
http://thomas.loc.gov/home/gpoxmlc111/h3200_ih.xml

Wait for the huge file to download to your computer. (It’s about 2MB of text.)

Click “Edit” and “Select All” (or use [Ctrl]-a)

Click “Edit” and “Copy” (or just [Ctrl]-c)

Paste that into an e-mail to “flag@whitehouse.gov.”

There is not much fishier than that monstrosity. …except for “journalism” having become a massage service for the White House. …except for ACORN. …except for SEIU. …except for 40 “Czars” running the government instead of those subject to the advice and consent of the Senate. …

Maybe the president will read it if he is sent a copy.

It’s a peaceful form of protest, right? There’s a good dose of irony too.

I can't possibly imagine why this came to mind:



~~Code Monkey

The Department of Defense says the remains of Captain Michael "Scott" Speicher have been found. Speicher was the first American lost in the 1991 Persian Gulf War.



The remains of the first American lost in the Persian Gulf War have been found in Iraq, the military said Sunday, after struggling for nearly two decades with the question of whether he was dead or alive.

The Pentagon initially declared Speicher killed, but uncertainty — and the lack of remains — led officials over the years to change his status a number of times to "missing in action" and later "missing-captured." The family Speicher left behind continued to press for the military to do more to resolve the case.

Family spokeswoman Cindy Laquidara said relatives learned on Saturday that Speicher's remains had been found.

"The family's proud of the way the Defense Department continued on with our request, to not abandon the search," she said. "We will be bringing him home."

Just a thought, (I've recently upgraded to new, high-temperature tin-foil)

Klunkers.

One of the biggest indicators of how our economy is doing is consumer confidence. Consumer confidence is measured by how willing people are to assume new debt.

So the gummint offers $4500 to trade in your old, gas guzzling, but likely paid-for car for a new, eco-friendly, but not-paid for car.

And people are taking this money and buying these cars. And also going into greater debt. Generally, when the consumer sees the economy as bad, they don't add debt to themselves. They save, prepare for the worst (being fired/laid off) and otherwise batten down the economic and financial hatches.

So here's how I see this playing out--
1. Gummint offers big money for people to get rid of their older cars.
2. Economic reports on consumer confidence say people are back to spending again, ergo, the economy is recovering, or will very soon.
3. The gummint claims that the economy is recovering because of the pork-laden stimulus bill.
4. Because of the bubble created by the klunker program, some begin to believe the economy is recovering.
5. Taxes go up, because we have to pay the pork.
6. Employers lay off workforces to pay the increased taxes without affecting their bottom line.
7. People can't pay for their new cars, and the # of good, used cars is reduced because the gummint-purchased clunkers have to be destroyed.
8. People don't have reliable transportation to look for, or go to, a job.
9. The economic indicator of consumer confidence goes down as the bubble bursts, but it doesn't happen until after the mid-term elections.

*as an aside, did anyone notice that the gummint mandates the cars GM produces, and how many of them fall under the clunker program? Although other companies have cars in this program, the gummint is offering a rebate to a company owned by the government. Sending a second subsidy to an already-subsidized company. Robbing Peter to pay Peter, as it were.

And the thing that pisses me off the most? When someone uses this program, the government isn't giving the government's money to them, they are giving the money we give them as tax revenues. Money paid in taxes by people likely driving cars that are too new to fall under the klunker program, will go to people who either didn't pay, or paid less in taxes, to get new cars.

Can't seem to find the specific power given to the government in the constitution to provide for people to have shiny new cars...

--Chuck

Labels: fraud waste and abuse